32 years on and still located in Woollahra, Candana Designs showcase a diverse mix of decedent architecture and design work from an array of international and homegrown brands. Being designers themselves, the Candana staff strives to inspire a bathroom design culture that wows the industry and also their valued clients.
The team at Candana Designs all pride themselves on perfect craftsmanship and we thought we would begin introducing you to some of the staff behind the company.
Firstly, we will be introducing you to the Managing Director of Candana Designs, Marc Reed.
Next, you will discover a little bit about Senior Design Consultant at Candana Designs, Kaety Thompson.
Marc Reed – Managing Director
1. What bathroom products/brands currently make you hot and flustered?
The current range of Teuco products, simply because they are so damn Sexy! In particular, I love the Accademia freestanding bath in the Stone Grey or Carrara Marble.
2. What are you known for? (What’s your Instagram alter ego?)
I am known for telling terrible, groan-worthy Dad jokes. Having children has been a great excuse for me to act like a goose, which I seem to be good at! I would also like to think that I am known for running a very good team of Bathroom designers.
3. What is your favourite song to perform in the shower?
Having 2 young boys, it would probably be a song from The Wiggles. I don’t remember the last time I got to listen to my own music.
4. If we walked into your dream bathroom, what would we see?
I love the “Hamptons” theme that we are currently seeing a lot of, it has always been my desired style of living! So you would see subway tiles (I know they have been done to death), splashes of Carrara marble, a lot from the Happy-D range from Duravit and tapware from Brodware. In particular, the Neu England range in a brushed nickel finish. Clean, simple, warm, and textured.
5. Have you ever stolen a pen from work?
As I own the business I guess I can’t steal from myself, or can I? I know I have lost a lot of pens, that’s for sure!
6. Pick one designer and one architect to be your parents. Why did you choose them?
As my father is an architect, I’d pick him. He is my inspiration as a father and he is also a fantastic architect. He frustrates me to boiling point sometimes but I still love the guy. My mother would be the extremely talented designer, Briony Fitzgerald. She has been a client of mine for many years and I just love the way she goes about her business. Lots of colour and lots of fun. (Sorry Mum.)
7. What bathroom product/fitting would you be and why?
As the Managing Director here at Candana I normally have to deal a lot in spare parts for clients we helped 20-30yrs ago, so I would have to say if I was a bathroom product I’d probably be a washer or something alike.
8. What magazines/books are next to your toilet?
Bathroom and design books of course! Belle, Monument, Vogue, Trend, Habitus, and probably a few children’s books.
9. What are the biggest mistakes people make in bathrooms that quite frankly makes you seethe?
Putting a free-standing bath in to an area that can’t fit one. It is my absolute pet hate to see that in a bathroom.
Family time at the beach- Oscar, Marc and Charlie
The Reed boys- Charlie, Marc & Oscar
Neu England in Brushed Nickel
Teuco bath in Carrara Marble
Kaety Thompson – Senior Design Consultant
1. What bathroom products/brands currently make you hot and flustered?
There are some fantastic things coming out of Denmark at the moment, which I’m loving. Brands like Frost and Menu are designing some of the most beautiful and contemporary bathroom accessories, which are extremely well made and thought out. It’s so refreshing to have some Nordic design follow through to the bathroom. I also have to mention KOS; these guys are bringing out beautifully designed baths and basins out of my homeland, Italy.
2. What are you known for? (What’s your Instagram alter ego?)
I’m usually known for my constant hair colour and style changes, which is why I often have customers coming in asking if I’m new (even though I’ve been here almost 7 years!). I’ve been everything from pastel pink to fire red pixie, but I think my signature is the black bob.
3. What is your favourite song to perform in the shower?
My favourite song to perform in the shower would have to be 90s classic ‘Pump Up The Jam’, while using the soap pump of course.
4. If we walked into your dream bathroom, what would we see? Sonny Bill Williams in a towel… I mean, Vola tapware in copper, concrete floors (underfloor heating is a must), and a Sicis custom tile mural of a Roy Lichtenstein artwork.
5. Have you ever stolen a pen from work? Nope, I’ve been lucky enough to score some great things over the years from Candana, and they were gifted to me! Candana are some of the most generous people you will ever meet.
6. Pick one designer and one architect to be your parents. Why did you choose them?
I would HAVE to choose my all-time favourite wacky designer Philippe Starck to be my Dad – he is so hilarious and an absolute genius that there would never be a dull moment. As for my Mum, I’d have to go with Rae Eames, just because it would be interesting to see her and Philippe in a room together!
7. What bathroom product/fitting would you be and why?
I would be a Vola KV1 designed by Arne Jacobsen in the 1960’s – the most iconic bathroom/kitchen design piece of all time! But in Orange, to give it a ‘Kaety’ colour twist.
8. What magazines/books are next to your toilet?
I don’t believe in spending more time in the toilet than is necessary, so no books/magazines in there. However, if I HAD to read something, it would probably be the Harry Potter series (for the millionth time).
9. What are the biggest mistakes people make in bathrooms that quite frankly makes you seethe?
Putting freestanding baths in a space where there is not enough room! Renovation TV shows have given the general public the impression that a luxury bathroom needs a freestanding bath – this is not the case people! Try cleaning around a bathtub that is squeezed into a 3-wall niche – impossible and completely impractical!
Kaety and her husband Glen
Kaety meeting with another favourite designer, Karim Rashid in NYC
Vola HV1 in Copper
KOS Morphing range
